Apparatus for and method of drawing glass



Patented May 22,v 1928.

ARTHUR E. SPINASSE, F MOUNT VERNON, OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD 0F DRAWING Application 'filed August 1,

y The invention relates to new and -useful improvements in apparatus for` and, method of drawing glass articles, such as sheets or cylinders, from a mass lof molten glass,

whereby glass articles may be drawn wit straight and uniform thickness of wall, homogeneous in texture, Aof clear quality and at increased drawing speed.

Fig. 1 is a side view partly in section, l0 showingmy device in some detail.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the drawing means or form of bait which I prefer to use when intermittent drawing is being carried In Fig. 1, 1 designates the melting tank, 2 a relatively small drawing station or forehearth having its rear portion in free communication with the glass in said tank, 3 the front wall of the melting tank. Burner 7 may be used for heating the front part of the station. Cover 8 is provided above the drawing station as shown and is provided with a drawing opening 8 into which freely passes a shield 10 which is suspended for vertical or horizontal movements by means of pipe supports 11, cable 12, laterally adjustable wheel members 13, and suitablyxontrolled motor on drum 14. The shield 10 which may be made of refractory material, of preference has a water cooled hollow metal support 9 which is horizontally dis-A posed beneath said shield and branched out to vertical supply pipes .11 which may be four in number an having flexible conduits 32 for supplying cooling {iuid therein while permitting movement of the shield. -The shieldas shown is adapted to releasably engage the upper part of a float pot 16 when in drawing position. In top plan view the drawing station is a little larger than the diameter ot'said pot to allow free movements of the latter. These pots may be in any numbers, preferably two' of them for each drawing station so that after drawing, the pot with its contained glass may be floated within the furnace subjected to the intense heat as pot 16 to remelt the glass therein, while the otherpot containing clear glass may now be floated from within the furnace to the drawing station. These pots have a restricted vertical glass feeding bottom aperture 17 for commingling the glass as it passes within the pot for drawing, an

maintain the apertured GLASS.

1921.., Serial No. 488,807.

may be provided with gravity fiange 18 to bottom of the pot suitably innnersed below the surface of the mass of molten glass, thus causing glass to h well up therein. However the shield member in engaging the pot may be lowered s o asto further depress the pot in the glass thus causing more glass tol well up through the-restricted aperture when more glass is desired within said pot for drawing.

The shield may also be raised or lowered wholly or locally by means of turn-.buckles 12 011 cables 12, which may be four in. number, whereby desired centered or lowered position ofthe shield and pot may be obtained for drawing.V If desired, after drawing, the glass inthe pot may bev remelted while at the drawing station by placing a suitable lid over opening 8|' when the shield 10 is Withdrawn from the tank through opening 8. Rehcating may not be necessary however and the pot may be maintained any desired length of time inv the drawing station,

and maybe elongated or circular in form depending as to whether a sheet or cylinder of glass is to be drawn.

The commingled portion of glass inthe ot is drawn by means of a bait 21, carriage, cable vorfleiiiible pipe 23, which is lowered or raised by means of a suitable motor operated drum (not shown). Other suitable means may be provided for drawing sheet glass. The bait 21 is supported upon the carriage at 24 and, as shown in Fig. 2, with its open top pipe handle 21 directly beneath hollow stem 253 of pipe 25, provided with a sleeve collar 252 which may screw, but preferably freely slides on said stem as desired, with its opening below preferably smaller than the top opening 21 of the bait handle.

A screw 25'* holdsthe sleeve in any desired 'ects into a vertical slit, not

position, or pro] shown but provided in said stem covered by determined range of the sleeve to retain a vertical' loose motion to or from the bait.

For operative drawing positionthe sleeve may be in loose contact with the top of the bait, but as shown is preferably held in suitable position spaced above the pipe to direct an open current of air within the bait and nascent cylinder. y

As clearly shown, the bait which of prefd erence is a circular non-adherent to glass bait having an interior ledge ending in a bottom opening is much smaller in cross section than that of the cylinder 24 drawn. The elongated tube handle 212 connected to the bait or leading to the cylinder of preference is straight and centrally located though not limited thereto, and` as shown of rejtricted diameter to ompare to that of the ait.

The end opening 21 of the tube 212 which if remote from the bait is of preference entirely open to the free atmosphere and forms an air inlet. The discharge end or jet of -pipe 252 is also smaller in diameter than the tube and as shown it is arranged in spaced relation to discharge a stream or airrcurrent .in the top opening 21 drawing with it air i tl1is form but other modifications permitting air from the free atmosphere to be drawn by the fluid pressure jet into the bait tube and cylinder drawn may beused. It will be clear'also that no auxiliary vent opening or openings are provided for the escape of the air from within the cylinder orbait during drawing.`

I prefer to provide a hand controlled valve 29 within the reach of the operator in the air supply pipe 25 for the intermittent control of the air, jet which as explained may take in air from the atmosphere as it passes into the pipe handle 212' for blowing and distending the glass being drawn thereby producing anl article with perfectlyl stralght walls. The incoming column bof air in the tube, itsdimension, and. arrangement of the yet assist in preventing the air from escapiing from within the hollow article being drawn. Naturally the air pressure is controlled to obtain the desired result. The

- attendant, in accordance with his observation, will adjust sleeve collar 25z to thereby shut olf, or regulate the amount of the air drawn in )from the atmosphere, and will manipulate the valvel 29 to either mincrease or decrease theforce of the air pressure jet. By adjustment of said sleeve and regulation `of the air jet the expandingv and forming of the drawn glass is obtained, preferably by. the combined action of the air drawn from the atmosphere and the current of air pressure from the jet. The dimension, form and .location of the discharging -jet as well as the receiving conduit'for the air may be greatly varied without departing from the spirit of this invention.

This application is a continuation'in part" of my pending application Serial No. 87,- 936 filed March 31, 1916, patented August 2, 1921, No. 1,386,441 and for further details reference may be made'to 'said application.

h Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:-

1. Means for drawing hollow glass articles comprising a hollow bait having a cross dimension relatively smaller than that of the hollow article to be drawn, of a tube providing an elongated passage extending from the bait and having its end opening Which is remote from the bait open to the free atmosphere, the Cross dimensionotl the tube interior 'and' opening being relatively smaller than the diameter 'of the'bait, of a fluid pressure member .having its discharging openinrr relatively smaller in cross scction than that of said tube or openingl and being arranged to discharge fluid pressure in the tube opening and through said clongated tube whereby to expand and form the hollow article drawn by said bait.

2. A relatively small bait for drawing hollow-glass articles, said bait having an extended tube connected thcrewith with its end opening which is remote from the bait open to the free atmosphere, of a jet pipe or conduit smaller in cross section than that ot said .pipe or opening and arranged to discharge fluid pressure into said opening and tube to expand the'drawn article, together with means for varying the space between said jet and opening. I

3. A relatively small bait for drawing hollow glass articles, said bait having an exf tended air supplying tube or conduit with a laterally extending opening leading to the open vatmosphere at a point remote' from the 100 bait, of 'an air pressure supplying pipe having an outlet smaller in cross "section than that of the inside diameter of said tube or conduit leading to the bait and arranged. to

discharge a jet of air across said opening into 105 said tube or conduit to expand and form the hollow article dra-wn by said bait.

4. In combination, a bait for drawing hollow glass articles, said bait having a diameter relatively smaller 'than that ofthe artic le to be Ydrawn, of an elongated vconduit leading to the interior of the drawn'article having a diameter relatively smaller than that of the bait and having its air intake opening remote from the bait and open ,to the free atmosphere, of an air pressure sup-4 plying pipe or jet member having its discharging end smaller in cross section than the interiorl diameter of said conduit leading to the drawn article and arranged to discharge'a jet of air into said conduit or opening for distending theA glass drawn by said ait. L

Y 5. In combination; a bait .for drawing hollow glass articles from,l molten glass, said bait having a diameter relatively smaller than that of the article to be drawn, of a conduit formin a passage leading tov-,the interior of the rawn article having a diameter rela/ tively smaller than that of the bait and hav- 13| lfrom the of an air pressure supplying jet or pipe means hav-c ing its discharging end smaller in cross section than the interior diameter of saidcoiiduit leading to the drawn article and arranged to discharge a jet of air pressure into said conduit, whereby aii' I pliere may be diawli by sa sure into said drawn tor dstending and maintaining the distcnded form of said article, and means for controlling the air drawn from the atmosphere by said air pressure jet or pipe.

6. A bait for drawing hollow glass objects roin moltenglass comprising a head, a pipe fixed thereto and forming an elongated passage extending to an air jet pipe spaced from the .outer end of said pipe and of smaller inner diameter than the diameter of the passage in said id jet of air prespipe, and means carried by the air jet pipe for closing or partially closing `the space between the air jet pipe and the pipe connected with the bait.

7. The method of forming hollow glass articles by air pressure, which includes the steps of vforcing a jet of air of restricted,

cross-sectional area into an open-ended passage leading to thehollow glass article being formed and which passage is slightly larger Ain cross-sectional area than` said jet, and

causing air from the atmosphere t'o be drawn by said and article for distending and maintaining the distended form of said article.

8. The method of forming hollow glass article by air pressure, which includes the steps of 'forcing a jet of air pressure of restricted cross-sectional area into an openended passage leading to the hollow glass article being formed and which passage is smaller in cross section than the diameter of the article being formed and slightly larger than said air pressure jet, in causing air from the free atmosphere to be drawn b said jet ofair pressure into said passage and article being formed, regulating the efficiency of the jet and distendingand maintaining the distended form of the articleby t-lie`coinbiiied action otthe air thus drawnA from the atmosphere and air pressure from said jet.

9. In apparatus for drawing glass articles form, blowing means for the drawn comprising a conduit providing a. restricted air passage to the hollow drawnarticle. said froin the atmos-A conduit and article beingthe interior of the bait,

jet of air into said passagev f mosphere,

from a bath of molten glass, a device for drawing the glass of the bath in hollow glass .p

the atmosair into the air passage of'- relation to the opening ot' said conduit to the atmosphere.

11. A bait for drawing hollow glass objects from a bath of molten glass, said bait being hollow and having a pipe relatively small in cross section, and means or directing a jet of air through said pipe, said air jet means being of such size relative to the pipe and so disposed thereto as to provide a passage between ,the interior of the pipe and the free atmosphere.

12. In apparatus for drawing hollow glass articles from a bath of molten glass, a device for drawing the article from said bath, means providing arestricted air passage to the hollow drawn article andy having yan opening to the free atmosphere, jet means ot' less cross sectional area than that of said passage, said jet lmeans being disposed in closeproximity to said opening to direct air under pressure through said restricted air passage and thence within the hollow ar- 'ticle being drawn by said device. 13. In apparatus for drawing inders from a bath of molten glass, bait having a nal novel supporting ledge, alrelatively long enclosed conduit leading to the bait and providing a passage of less cross sectional area than said opening, said conduit having. an opening to the lfree atmosphere, and an air pressure jet means having a discharge open.- ing of less cross sectional area than sai passage and disposed so as to supply a jet of air into said passage.

beiugdrawn from a bath of molten glass, the method which consists in drawing air from the atmosphere into the drawn article by forcingr ajet of air into a slightly larger passage having .an

and conducting the air pressure received within said passage from said jet and atmosphere into the being drawn.

-15. In the art of blowing hollow glass articles being drawn from a bath of molten glass. the steps which consist inforcing a jet of air into a restricted enclosed air passage having an opening to the free atmoshere, -and leading the ainreceived within glass cylsaid air passage into the hollow drawn article.

16. In the art of blowin hollow glass articles being drawn from a ath of molten glass, the method of which consists in directing a jet of air. in open relation to' the atmosphere into a passage than the jet and considerably smaller in opening to the free at.

hollow glass article a hollow bottom opening and an inter- 14. In the art of blowing hollow` articles j l lslightly larger cross sectional area *than`the"hollow-dranznergkised passage leading to the cylinder, article, and leading the air received into said which'nclosedepassagg is larger cross 10 passagewfom said -jet within the hollow sectional area than the jet opening but smalldrawn article. er than the cross sectional area of the article 5 17. In the art of blowing hollow glass being drawn.

cylinders or like articles from a bath of In testimony whereof I affix my signature. molten glass, the method which consists in forcingy a jet of air linto a relatively long` ARTHURE;SPINASSE.VV 

